Run, you clever wolf
by Scarliatta
Summary: American sharpshooter Andi has been hunting those who slaughtered her family and lover for over a year. Exhausted and on the verge of collapse and defeat, Flemeth appears from a rift and offers Andi a new destiny. As she take's Flemeth's hand, her world dissolves and a new one unfurls... Fenris/Hawke with adult content in future chapters.
1. Run

I.

Andi glanced behind her, eyes roving the dense darkness, gasping for breath as her feet pounded the pavement. Her head was spinning wildly, black dots dancing before her eyes. A group of soldiers tore around a tall brick building to her left, rifles trained on her every move. A chorus of shouts ricocheted around the street,

"Get on the ground!"

"Freeze!"

"Don't move!"

"Get down!"

Andi gritted her teeth. She wasn't going to make it. She slowed down, stumbled slightly before regaining her footing, and stopped. Panting heavily, every breath feeling like daggers piercing her lungs, she doubled over, propping herself up by clasping her hands around her knees.

The soldiers continued shouting, commanding her to drop to her knees. She muttered incoherently under her breath, to exhausted to form words. She slowly stoop up and raised her arms, crossing them and dropping their weight on top of her head, letting her lungs expand to full capacity. The soldiers stopped shouting, waiting for her to move. Andi peered down the darkened street. She could just see the silver gleam of her truck parked in front of a glowing street light. She had to get out of there.

"Have you had enough?" sneered an all to familiar voice behind her.

Andi's arms snapped to her sides, her right swiftly flicked her leather jacket open, hand folding over the familiar cold grip of her Glock. He was here. After a year of hunting, a year of running, a year of debilitating anguish and uncertainty, he was finally within reach.

"Demetri," she growled, her voice rough and cracked from lack of use, "I'm glad you could join us."

He waved off her sarcasm."I have no more patience for your games, Andi. You have two choices." Demetri drawled, "Either you disarm yourself and get on your knees, I take you into custody, torture, and brutally murder you, or..." he paused, a cruel smile evident in his voice, "I kill you right here. In either instance you will be with your dearly departed shortly. It is merely a matter of _when_ and _how_."

Andi let out a barking laugh, the hand not fingering the grip of her gun clutched her aching sides as she guffawed.

The soldiers shifted nervously, glancing at their Sergeant and back at each other, their rifles lowering slightly. Was she going insane?

"Ah but Demetri," Andi's voice cracked, "that would be giving me my greatest desire." She spun before the soldiers could gather their senses, drawing out her weapon and pulling the trigger. The shot reverberated off the brick walls into the street. She didn't hesitate, she knew she hit her target. Andi turned and fled up the street, heart pounding wildly as she reached her truck. She pulled the door open and shoved her Glock back in the holster before pulling herself up into the seat. The soldiers were sprinting after her, shouting and cursing. She pulled the door shut just before they opened fire, glass exploding over her head. She ducked down, raising an arm to cover her head and turning the key in the ignition with the other.

"Man down!"

"She killed Sarge!"

"Shoot out her tires"

"Come out and fight, coward!"

Andi smiled, she knew she had killed him, but the tormented screams of the soldiers was bitter satisfaction. "One down, one to go," she thought to herself as she pressed her foot hard on the gas pedal.

II

It hadn't been hard to lose her pursuers. Demetri was slippery, but overconfident. He did not think Andi could escape his trap. She had been driving for two days now; the chilly, wet, sea air billowing into her face through her broken window and windshield. Only making the occasional stop for fuel, Andi had made remarkable time driving from the heart of Romania to Katwijk, a small Dutch town on the shores of the Netherlands. She shivered, glancing out the window towards the sea. It was beautiful, the sun shone like a beacon, shining and reflecting off the waves as they lazily crashed onto the shore. She craved the feeling of sand between her toes, aching to feel the water under her fingers.

Andi sighed, and smoothly steered the truck off the freeway and toward the shore. She needed to stretch her aching limbs. She needed a plan.

The water crashed into her shins, raising goosebumps on her fair skin and splashing onto her dark blue jeans. She had taken off her tall leather boots and dangled them casually to her side. Her brown leather jacket flapped open in the wind, revealing two guns strapped securely under her arms, and a third tucked in a holster at her back. The wind whipped through her mahogany hair, streaming it into her eyes.

She was so tired. _Why do you keep running?_ A a quiet voice in her head demanded. Andi closed her eyes, breathing in the salty sea air.

Brown eyes stared up at her, tears gently dripping off their lashes.

"Andi..." Harrison whispered, his eyes pleading, "Andi you must run."

"I'm not leaving you!" She cried, clutching him to her chest. She was kneeling, her feet tucked underneath her, his back against her thighs and her arms wrapped protectively around him. "Everything is going to be alright, Harrison, you're going to be fine!"

"Andi..." he whispered again, his eyes loosing focus, "I have loved you from the first moment we met. Please..." he gasped, his breathing labored and uneven, "take care of yourself, I could not bare it if you gave up now." Andi's shoulders shook with the force of her tears, "No, Harrison, please no. Don't do this! Not now. I can't lose you!" Harrison tried to run his finger across her cheek, but his hand merely jerked and twitched. "Please, Andi. You must run. Run... Run for me." He coughed wetly, splattering blood on Andi's shirt and down his chin. "No... no, no, Harrison no!" she sobbed, dipping her head and touching her forehead to his. "Run." Harrison breathed, his last breath a caressing sigh on her cheek.

Andi's eyes flew open, bringing her back to the shore in Katwijk. It had been over a year since she held her dying love in her arms. The longest year of her life. Never staying long in one place, searching for Demetri and Tallius had consumed her. She fought for survival, not because she wanted to live, but because _he_ had wanted her to live. Now she only sought revenge. Anger over Demetri and Tallius's betrayal burned through her soul like a hot iron, coursing through her veins like a ever-present drug.

_One down, one to go. _

Andi quickly turned and walked up the beach returning to her truck. She scraped the sand off her feet before sliding her jeans back down her legs and tucking them into her boots. She sighed, and pulled her pack out of the truck and checked her supplies.

On one of her stops for fuel she had found a small army surplus store, a rarity in Europe, and probably illegal. Nonetheless she had bought their entire stock of 9mm bullets, a 6 inch hunting knife, and a new tent. Her old tent had recently been ravaged by a particularly fearsome storm. The store clerk had not spoken any English, but it was just as well. Andi had spoken so little in the last year that she had all but lost her voice. Besides, she was incredibly gifted at communicating without speech.

Inside her backpack was a length of rope, 3 or 4 pockets knives, various food stuffs and clothing, and ammunition crammed in every open space left. She had razors, soaps, and other toiletries in the outer pockets. The tent was strapped to the top of the bag, and a sleeping bag at the bottom. She looked up at the passenger seat where a leather saddle bag was laying, spilling it's contents onto the seat. Her ipod peaked out from inside a leather pocket next to her cell phone. Her small laptop was carefully encased in an inside pocket, along with her wallet, passport, and other various items.

She reached for the bag and set it down on the pavement in front of her, crouching down and digging through a side pocket until she found what she sought. She stood up and peered at her father's watch. It was all she had left of her childhood. She didn't know why she had even taken it off, but Romania had been a close call. She had almost lost everything. She snapped the clasp around her wrist and stretched. She would not take it off willingly again.

Distantly, the sound of sirens woke Andi from her reverie. _Shit!_ She didn't stop to think, she threw her bags back into the truck, climbed in and took off, careening around a corner before reaching to slam the door shut.

The sun sank lower in the horizon and city lights began glittering. She was somewhere in Germany now, she wasn't sure where. A distant hill or mountain, she was never quite sure how to tell the difference, loomed in front of her, covered in dense forest. She needed to rest, and it seemed a good a place as she could find. She steered the truck swiftly through side streets and narrow lines, slowly winding up the hill. Abruptly the road came to an end. There was no building or structure in side, not signs to warn of the impending end, no nothing. The road simply ended. Andi drove slowly through the trees, the truck bouncing and shaking with the rough hillside. Once she was far enough from the road that she was sure no one would spot her truck, she put it in park and turned it off. Silence and darkness engulfed her.

Pushing the door open and hopping out, she collected her backpack and hitched it onto her back. She reached in to a side pocket and pulled out her flashlight and flicked it on. Grabbing her saddle bag, she looped the long strap over her head onto her shoulder. She aimed the beam of light into the cab and checked to make sure she had everything before slamming the door shut.

It wasn't a long hike to the top of the hill, but she was surprised when she found a large clearing in the thick woods. It stretched out before her, the size of a football field she wagered, and full of brambles and weeds. The moonlight illuminated the field in a soft glow, and she could see two rabbits hopping into the woods on the far side. A wave of exhaustion swept over her, and she nearly collapsed. Steadying herself by placing a hand on a tree, she slid to the ground just outside the cleaning. Leaning her back against the tree trunk, she tilted her head back and closed her eyes. _Just for a minute..._

III

Andi jolted awake. The ground was vibrating. An earthquake? She sprang to her feet, her backpack and saddle bag still secured to her, damp with dew. She crouched by the tree and looked around. Fog rolled low through the weeds in the early light of dawn, the weeds trembling by the earthquake. A loud CRACK echoed through the forest and Andi started. A green glow was coming from the middle of the clearing, and a figure was walking towards her in its light. She crouched lower, staying out of sight. The figure continued walking straight towards her, slowly coming into focus. As she neared, Andi saw that it was a woman, a curvy woman, walking with a slow, sultry gate. Andi focus on her head and let out a small gasp. _The woman has horns!_ Soft white hair gently fluttered with each step, but the protruding horns that swept back from her face and into a graceful arch were certainly not something Andi was used to. Maybe she was a fanatic dressed up for some ritual?

"Come, child." The figure had stopped, and beckoned for someone to approach. Andi looked around, but saw no one.

"There is no one here but you and me," The horned woman spoke, her voice like that of a firm, rasping grandmother, "there is no need to fear." She chuckled before adding, " For now."

Andi felt a cold shiver travel down her spine as the horned woman's amber eyes met hers. How could that be? She and the horned woman were much to far apart to see each other's faces clearly, let alone meet the other's gaze. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her eyes were locked in to this woman's cold gaze, distance apparently held no meaning. Who was this woman?

It was clear after a few moments of icy stares that Andi would have to confront the woman. Slowly, she straightened her back, and carefully stepped foreword.

"Ahh, kleine Falke, we finally meet." The horned woman crossed her arms, smiling slightly. Though her voice gave the impression of age, the woman was quite young. Mid twenties, perhaps?

Andi stood silent, her right hand resting on the grip of her Glock concealed on her back, her left hand loose at her side.

"I do not expect you to speak much for our first meeting," she said, "for it will be quite short. Two unfair choices were given to you. They were not executed. Two fair choices I have to give you, and they _will_ be carried out. Unlike the first two, these choices are your destiny, not fate."

Andi remained unmoved, her face an expressionless mask. Was this lady a lunatic?

"You have killed one of two men who betrayed you, but only after a year of running. The other now hunts you, torments your sleep. Your path is now forked. If you travel down one side," The horned woman paused, "Tallius will kill you. If you travel down the other, you will kill him."

Andi continued to stare blankly at the horned woman. She was stark raving _mad!_

The horned woman chuckled, releasing her arms and started to pace. "Your first choice is to remain here, on this hillside. I will return through the rift without you. You will continue running and fighting until there is nothing left of you. Tallius will find you and destroy you." She met Andi's gaze and continued to pace. "Your second choice is to enter the rift with me. You will be met with circumstances that you cannot understand at this moment. However, you will kill Tallius."

Andi's gaze shifted to the green glow behind the horned woman. She had mentioned entering a _rift. _Was that what it was? She hadn't bothered to look closer at the green glow as she walked towards the woman, but now that she looked it seemed to be a green pane of glass, roiling and turning in midair. Whisps of a green smoke-like substance floated and wrapped themselves through the air. A faint whispering seemed to grow to a hum.

Andi licked her lips, "What," she rasped, "is a rift?"

The horned woman came to a stop in front of Andi and crossed her arms to her chest before replying. "It not simple to explain. Rifts take on different forms depending on how they are summoned. In this instance, think of it as a window between worlds."

Andi fought the urge to roll her eyes,"And tell me, you crazy horned bat, why I should listen to you?"

The woman let out a howl of laughter, "Crazy horned bat? I have been called many things, but I must say," she continued chortling, "crazy horned bat is a first!"

Andi continued to stare, keeping her expression carefully blank.

The woman took a few steps foreword until she was inches from Andi's face. "Tell me, Falke, where did you last hold your Harrison?"

_Grayling, Michigan. In my home. What was left of it, anyway. _

"Who was near you when he died in your arms?"

_The town was completely destroyed. No even a tree still stood. There was no one left._

Andi continued to stare at the woman. Where was she going with this?

The woman was silent for a moment before opening her mouth to speak, but it wasn't her voice. It was Harrison.

"Please, Andi. You must run. Run... Run for me."

Andi froze, her eyes opening wide.

"Run," Andi and the woman both whispered together.

Andi felt tears prickling her eyes and blinked them back. Hearing his voice again was...jarring. Unexpected. It brought back memories long buried, and she fought to keep her composure.

"I am sorry," the woman said softly, "but the time has come for you to decide, kleine Falke. They are coming. Either come with me or remain. The choice is yours." She unfolded her arms, turned, and began to walk slowly toward the green light. The distant sound of sirens stirred Andi from her despair. Her mind reeled, Harrison's voice still echoing in her mind. She craved an end to her eternal race. She was so tired. She had to continue, if not for her, than for Harrison. She wasn't prepared for a fight on this hillside. Lack of sleep made her mind foggy, her reactions slow. This was no place for a fight.

_You can die here, or you can die there. What's the difference?_

She hitched the strap of her saddle bag further up her arms and followed the woman to the light. The woman was standing directly under the twisting green rift, watching Andi approach with a soft smile.

"Come, child," she said, holding out her hand. Andi reached foreword tentatively, then grasped the woman's hand firmly.


	2. Fog

I

Andi screamed in agony, but no sound escaped her lips. Her blood boiled within her veins as the world around her evaporated into whirling green and blank nothingness. Her head ached for oxygen and she gasped for air, but there was none to breathe. Her chest collapsed, she felt like she was drowning in absolute emptiness, her body twisting and writhing to find anything familiar. A hand tightened around her own and yanked her forward into the darkness before letting go.

Finally, blessedly, her body hit solid ground. She collapsed onto the earth, relishing the smell of dirt and grass as the blissful air filled her lungs. Her head pounding at the sudden surge of oxygen.

Andi lay still on her stomach, her breathing ragged and uneven, clenching and unclenching her hands in the soft grass. Inhaling a deeply, she opened her eyes and lifted her head to take in her surroundings.

The low fog that had surrounded them on the hilltop had been replaced with a blanket of mist so dense that it left Andi disoriented. She gently pushed herself up with her hands, turning her head this way and that to find the woman. A green glow engulfed her, and she looked up to see the rift still roiling in midair. It was different now, rather than looking like glass it had collapsed within itself, twisting into a menacing force.

Flares of light sprang from the rift, the low whispering hum changing into a ferocious roar. The ground quaked beneath her and she looked around to see the flares crash into the ground like powerful lightening bolts. Andi's hands flew to her pistols under her arms, drawing them out and planting her feet firmly into a stabilizing stance. She aimed at the rift as she glanced to the ground.

Where the flares had struck, things were crawling out of the ground as if they were swimming onto the shore of a lake. Andi backed up, still crouching, aiming her pistols at the two closest creatures. They were transparent and ghost like, howling at her fiercely. She didn't stop to think before firing two rounds into each of them. They shrieked, fading into nothingness. Two more creatures had erupted from the ground. They made there way toward her, awkwardly, their bones creaking. Skeletons? Strips of rotting flesh clung to their bones as they raised long wooden bows. "This is a dream," Andi thought desperately, "I'm still asleep on the hilltop." An arrow grazed her shoulder, leaving a gash in it's wake. Andi gasped at the sudden pain and looked up to see the other skeleton loose an arrow at her. Andi dived forward and rolled onto her back before springing to her feet. She aimed both pistols and fired, the skeleton's ribcage shattering and spraying fragments onto the ground.

Desperately she looked around for the second skeleton. The heavy mist swirled around her, so thick that she lost sight of her own pale hands clutching her guns. Pain pierced her side and Andi screamed, looking down to see an arrow protruding from her side. A pool of blood beginning to seep through her shirt. She stumbled forward, her eyes roving the dense fog for any sign of her attacker. Movement to her left caught her eye and she spun, aiming her pistols and firing. Deafening silence met her ears after the echoing blast dissipated.

A warm breeze caressed her cheek, clearing the blanket of fog momentarily. Dizzily, she holstered her pistols before clutching her side. The ground still quaking beneath her, the Rift hummed and trembled. She looked up and squinted, the soft green light had become painfully bright. It was folding into itself, becoming smaller and smaller as the ground trembled. All at once the sky cracked, and the rift had disappeared.

Andi fell to her knees, looking down at the arrow sunken into her side.

_Die here, or die there? _

Andi didn't have the energy to pull out her pack and find her first aid kit. Not that she would know what to do even if she wasn't on the verge of exhaustion. She looked up at the sky. The mist had been cleared away by the wind, but her vision blurred. She tried to focus, tried to see the sun through the trees, but the sky seemed to close in around her. Andi collapsed onto her back, her legs tucked awkwardly beneath her.

II

Harsh shouts roused Andi from a deep sleep. She started to sit up, but gasped at the pain in her side before falling back onto the cot. Her mind reeled. Where was she? As the events on the hilltop clunked into place, Andi's eyes flew open. She looked down at her side and saw a neat bandage wrapped around her side, the arrow gone. Her pale flesh was exposed to her waist. She took stock of her surroundings. Someone had found her and nursed her, removing her shirt, jacket, shoulder holster, and bra. She shot up off the cot ignoring the pain coursing down her side. Her eyes darted around the room before relief flooded down her spine at the site of her personal effects. She gingerly crouched down, taking careful stock that it was all there. She sighed at her bloodied t-shirt. It was clear that someone had tried to remove the stains. She considered grabbing a new shirt, but decided against it before slowly pulling the stained shirt over her head.

Andi dressed silently, listening to the shouting grow ever closer. She tried to make out words, but they seemed to be shouting in a foreign language. The door of the small cabin burst open, and a small, dark skinned figure swiftly entered and shut the door. The figure turned to see Andi, slightly crouched, one hand on the pistol secured to her back. Andi stared down at the small woman, her skin a smooth brown painted with green ink. She wore skins and a necklace of stones, her inky black hair plaited neatly behind her and adorned with feathers. Andi was reminded of Native Americans. The girl calmly looked up at Andi and spoke, her voice smooth and delicate, but Andi did not understand the words. In fact, they didn't sound like a language she had ever heard before. She frowned. The woman smiled gently and said in a thick accent, "Do you speak the common tongue?"

Andi stared, careful to make her expression blank before giving a curt nod.

The woman's smile broadened and she motioned to the cot Andi had laid. "You were not long from this world. Our magic would not seal the wound. I had to tend you with care." The woman shifted, listening to the commotion outside before continuing. "You need rest. You are weakened, and you must regain your strength." The woman took two steps foreword before Andi jumped back, her arms automatically raising her Glock to point at the woman's chest.

The dark woman grinned, eying the gun curiously. Andi was taken aback, the woman did not seem frightened. By all accounts she should have frozen at the threat. Instead, she was looking at Andi with open curiosity. Andi took a step back, releasing warning growl. The woman stopped at the sound, finally realizing the warning.

"I will not hurt you," she said softly, motioning at the cot one more,"I am the one who cared for you."

Andi let her muscles relax, lowering her gun. She looked at the woman. Surely if she had been sent by Tallius she would have killed her by now.

"You must be famished. Here," she said, walking to a table and picking up a loaf of flat bread and a bowl of liquid, "I've had some Nava bread and water set out for you. Please, if you will not heed my advice and rest, you must at least sit and eat!" The woman's tone did not leave room for argument. Andi swallowed a smile, this woman reminded her of her mother. A pang of sadness twinged in her stomach at the memory. Andi pushed her gun back in it's holster and allowed the woman to take her arm and lead her to a animal skin rug by the crackling fire. The commotion outside had quieted, and sounds of birds chirping floated into the room. Andi eased herself down, grabbing her side and wincing. The woman appraised her and tutted. It was clear she felt Andi was in no condition to be out of bed.

The woman sat down next to Andi, placing the plate of Nava bread and bowl of water between them. Andi looked down at the bread before looking back into the woman's face. 

"It is not poison," the woman said simply.

Andi didn't hesitate. She had barely eaten before the incident on the hilltop, and by the looks of it she had been unconscious for hours. She tore into the bread, and closed her eyes in delight. It was like nothing she had ever tasted. The spices within the bread were foreign to her tongue, tangy and sweet.

"Good, isn't it?" the woman smiled.

Andi nodded, washing down the bread with gulps of water. She stopped, lowering the bowl. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to speak.

"..."

She cleared her throat again, "how," her voice cracked, "how long...?" She couldn't continue. He throat was dry. She gulped down more water.

"Nearly two days, I'm afraid," came the kind response. "You were nearly gone when Tibi found you. He tried to heal you, but..." she broke off, eying Andi strangely.

Andi spoke again, her voice broken with disuse, "Where are we...?" She let her voice trail off, silently seeking more answers than what she could voice. The woman leaned and patted Andi's knee in understanding. She seemed to think that Andi remembered nothing.

"You are in Seheron. Two nights ago our warriors went with Tibi to scout the mountains. There have been strange disturbances in the Fade, and it was beginning to worry us. Tibi led the warriors until they found a tear releasing spirits and demons. Before they reached it however," she paused and licked her lips, "they found you. Tibi said you released your power into the creatures and killed them before collapsing from an arrow. The tear closed after you destroyed them. Once it became clear that Tibi couldn't heal you, he picked you up and started down the mountain."

Andi chewed slowly, taking in the woman's every word. The story seemed to match with her own recollection, but the subject matter left her confused. In the back of her mind, some of the terms seemed oddly familiar.

"Tibi and his warriors didn't make it far before they were intercepted. A Magister from Tevinter with some of his companions demanded Tibi release you to them."

Andi stopped chewing. She had no memory of this.

"Tibi refused. You were unconscious and needed healing. The Magister was furious, and killed two of our warriors in rage. In the end, Tibi agreed to release you to the Magister only after you heal." The woman looked steadily into Andi's wide eyes. "It is they that you heard shouting," she added.

Andi sat silently. The words Tevinter and Magister seemed oddly familiar, but she could not place where she was. _Seheron._ None of the places the woman had mentioned seemed German. She thought back to the horned woman.

_"Your second choice is to enter the rift with me. You will be met with circumstances that you cannot understand at this moment."_

Where had the crazed woman taken her? Who was Tibi and the Magister? Where would he take her? Andi's mind reeled with questions, but she reigned them in. The woman sitting in front of her had shown her kindness, nursed her back to health. Andi focused on her, and took a deep breath.

"What is your name?" Her voice was weak and quiet, but didn't crack.

"Oh," the woman breathed, "I'm so sorry I neglected that part. My name is Kindu, I am one of the tribe's healers." she smiled widely, "My husband is Tibi, he is the Chief of our tribe. In common tongue, we are called Fog Warriors."

Andi racked her brain at the term. She felt like she had read the name before.

Kindu continued, answering Andi's unspoken questions, "Tibi communicates with the Fade. When he couldn't heal you, he reached out for help. We haven't truly spoken in wake of the Magister's arrival. The only other information Tibi revealed to me was the the Magister believes you interrupted his ritual, and he demands answers."

Andi was thoroughly confused. What the bloody hell was a fade? And who is this Magister? She kept her expression blank and instead asked, "May I speak with this Tibi?"

Kindu sighed, "Straight to the point, you are. I'll see what I can do."

She stood up and walked gracefully to the door, but paused before opening it.

"You are a strange one," she stated, before turning and walking out of the room.

III

Andi sat warming herself by the fire. The Nava bread was delicious, but left her terribly thirsty. Her bowl was empty. She looked around the small room, taking in the thatched roof and mud-lined walls. The floor, or lack thereof, was covered in skins. The softest of which she was currently sitting on, mindlessly running her hands through the soft brown fur. The cot she had slept was lined with straw and covered in skins. The only other object in the room besides her belongings was a small table, a large pitcher sitting in the center. Andi flexed her legs, gently uncrossing them. She gingerly tucked her feet beneath her and pushed up, careful to keep her stomach muscles relaxed. Her side twinged at the movement, though not unbearably. Once fully on her feet, she walked across the room to the pitcher. She frowned. She had left the bowl on the floor. She eyed it, but decided it wasn't worth the pain before tipping the pitcher to her lips and drinking deeply.

The door opened, and a tall man with tanned skin entered. His shining black hair draped over his shoulders and down his back with a single small braid trailing the right side of his cheek. Large feathers intertwined his braid and fastened to every seem of his leather leggings. His body was covered with angular green markings, contrasting with his smooth dark skin. He was clearly the chief. He crossed his arms as he took in Andi, water dripping off her chin.

She hastily put the pitcher back on the table and looked up at him.

The chief walked into the center of the room and stared at Andi. His gaze pierced her, she felt as if she could see straight through her. She was unnerved and shifted uncomfortably.

"You are not of this world, traveler."

It wasn't a question, and Andi stiffened and met his eyes. She waited, keeping her expression carefully blank.

"My magic cannot touch you. It passes through you as if entering a stream." He paused, observing her carefully. "Your destiny lies with the Tevinter Magister. You must not let him know of your ability."

Andi was frozen. Her eyes glued to the man standing before her. Magic? Ability? What was he talking about?

"He will know you are not of this world. He will covet your weapons, and stop at nothing to seek your ability to diffuse magic." The chief remained still, stoically staring into Andi's eyes as if he knew everything about her. "The people of our world, Thedas," he added, inclining his head to her, "are all connected to the Fade. The fade is our spirit world. It is from the Fade that our magic is born, living in each of us, but only manifesting powerfully in some. Mages have a stronger connection than most, some can become dangerous when they fall victim to the temptations of demons."

The chief paused, allowing his words to soak in. "You, however, are not of this world. You have no connection to the Fade. Magic does not effect you. You must take precautions. Heed my warnings."

Andi remained frozen. The chief, this Tibi, was answering many of her unasked questions, but that didn't make her any less confused. Was she really in a different world? He was intimidating, towering over her with his arms crossed, but his features spoke of honesty and trust. She shivered, she had no other alternative than to trust him. She would see for herself how this 'Magister' behaved.

"I have sheltered you for as long as I could, but it is time. Remember, traveler, do not demonstrate your skills. Not until the snake baits the wolf." The chief uncurled his arms and motioned for Andi to come. She stood still, her mind combing over what he had said.

"Come, traveler," he said again, impatience written on his features. He bent and picked up her bags, holding them out to her. She extended her arm slowly, then grasped her backpack and pulled it on, looping her arms through the straps. She reached out again and took her leather saddle bag, lifting her arms to loop the strap over her shoulders. She winced in pain, her side was beginning to ache painfully.

_**I've never written anything before in my life! Play nice and please review!**_


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